If you’re anything like me, sometimes it just seems easier to toss your bottles and cans into the recycle bin outside your house and someone from the neighborhood inevitably collects them and returns them. While I love the little lady that comes around our neighborhood weekly to collect the bottles. I can’t help but be reminded of just how much money I am passing up by not returning them myself. Those bottles can certainly add up, and Kensington Return-It Centre has the newest equipment to make it easier, more efficient and less icky for everyone.
There are a few things that keep me from taking my own bottles in; primarily the “ick” factor. I’m not a huge fan of needing to sort them all out of the bags, sticky and mixed in different drinks (even though I swear, I rinsed those things like 12 times!) and the time it takes definitely is a huge factor. I feel like it takes forever! Often times heading in on the weekend there is a wait for a table to sort, a wait to have them counted and with kids in tow.. this just isn’t an ideal situation for us!
When our local Kensington Return-It Centre (6518 Hastings Street, Burnaby) contacted us about a brand spanking new machine that is about to be unveiled on February 28th, 2017 I was intrigued. I feel like they truly took all of my concerns and everyone else’s into mind and created something that streamlines the entire process and encourages all of us to make a difference at home. And it puts a little bit of extra money back into our pocket and I am sure we can all agree that’s a good thing.
When I got a peek at the TOMRA T-9 machine, admittedly I was instantly reminded of those coin sorting machines at the grocery store and I wasn’t far off. The Tomra T-9 is a 360 degree reverse recognition vending machine that will sort your bottles at record speed – it can sort up to 45 bottles a minute! It accepts bottles of all sizes and takes a lot of the factors that are a deterrent for bottle returning. Mainly the time it takes to sort everything by hand. Everything goes into the same area and the machine does the work for you.
Tomra T-9 can sort up to 250 bottles at a time by reading barcodes on the side of containers or by recognizing the shape – which in itself is quite the feat. However, it doesn’t stop there! If you have over 250 bottles to return, simply sort them into 3 easy categories (5c, 10c and over 20c value) and bring them up to the courtesy counter. No more needing to sort cans, tetras etc – the backroom Tomra makes the sorting operation faster than ever before.
Having carefully studied various technologies, deposit systems worldwide and Canadian markets to better understand their reality, Tomra Canada is providing automated solutions to facilitate the recovery of used beverage containers for depot centers in Canada. Their equipment is able to handle all types of containers in different materials, shapes and sizes making a real impact on deposit returns rate and redeemers experience.
I know I am always on the hunt for ways to lessen our waste and this new system definitely encourages me to return our bottles on a much more regular basis. If you’re interested in checking out Tomra for yourself, join Kensington Return-it Centre and Peak FM on February 28th at 1:00pm for a demonstration of the new innovative equipment!
35 billion used beverage containers are captured every year by TOMRA’s reverse vending machines. TOMRA’s total avoided greenhouse gas emission equals the annual emissions from 2 million cars—each driving 10,000 kilometers.
Event Details
Where: Kensington Square Return-It Depot – 6518 Hastings Street, Burnaby
When: Tuesday February 28th at 1:00pm
Details: Join us for the unveiling and demonstration of the new Tomra machine! Peak FM will be on-site as well as staff to answer questions about the new T-9.
We hope you’ll come and experience Tomra for yourself and share what you think of the process! We’d love to know if it shaves some time off your recycling errands and if it encourages you to return your containers more often.
{Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Return-It, all opinions are our own. As a mom, it’s extremely important to me to show the next generation the importance of recycling!}
